Cone assemblies of the type to which the present invention relates are described, for example, in U.S. application Ser. No. 285,869 filed July 22, 1981; other types of double-cone infinitely variable ratio transmissions may be used. The transmission chains utilize connecting elements which connect individual flat or plate links and are inserted in openings of the plate links; the end facing surfaces of the connecting elements transmit frictional forces between the conical friction disks and the articulated chain, as a whole. Various arrangements of plate or flat links and connecting elements are possible, and the referenced U.S. application Ser. No. 285,869, of July 22, 1981 shows two such arrangements, one in which the links are all positioned in-line, and one in which the links are positioned in-line with adjacent links being staggered in brick-wall manner to offset the joints between adjacent links by one through-connecting element. In another arrangement, which has been termed a "three-link arrangement", similarly located end portions of a link--for example at the left side of the chain when it is stretched out--are offset by two cross-connecting elements so that the transverse staggering pattern of the links will repeat for each three links, rather than for each alternate one. Link chains of this type may use bolts as transversely located cross-connecting elements, and/or pairs of rocking elements which are shaped to roll off with respect to each other, or may have rocker elements which cooperate with the radially extending end portions of the link plates. The "joints" referred to hereinafter may, for simplicity, be considered merely as joint bolts. The type of connection, which permits articulation of the chain and bending of the chain around a wheel, for example within the cone surfaces of an infinitely variable ratio transmission, are a simple form; the type of link articulation which is used with the chain is not material and any one known in the art may be used.
The two types of link chains--alternately staggered or of the three-link arrangment--have different characteristics, particularly when used in an infinitely variable ratio transmission. The three-link arrangement permits a shorter subdivision of the links since they can be placed closer together with respect to each other, thus contributing to smoother operation, lower noise level, and better distribution of frictional forces between the cone wheels of the transmission itself and the link elements, or the end portions of the cross-connecting elements, for example and typically bolts. The frictional force density of chains of this type is reduced over chains with alternately staggered links. The alternately staggered links, however, for a given load or torque transmission capability are smaller and narrower, and lighter. Overall, the three-link arrangement is to be preferred since the wear on the cone wheels is reduced, the bending radius of the chain is less, and the operating noise is substantially less; yet, the greater width of the chain and in the alternately staggered arrangement was usually used due to the lesser requirement of space.